Published: Impacting Belonging through Cultural Programming during Housing Redevelopment

Jen Song and I worked to observe, analyze, and document her work at the Yesler Terrace housing redevelopment in Seattle, WA. From what I saw this was more community and process-driven, and meaningfully responsive, than most other similar initiatives. There's a lot to learn from this, especially how Jen navigated bureaucracy at a large public agency to make it possible to do deep, meaningful work. There is so much work to do to support community-based cultural work and belonging -- excited to share this as part of that movement.

From the introduction:

“For over five years, residents at Seattle Housing Authority’s newly redeveloped Yesler Terrace have been working with community-based artists, cultural organizers, and educators to learn valuable skills, celebrate their cultural identities, and build a sense of home in their new community. These thoughtfully designed initiatives were embedded in Seattle Housing Authority (SHA)’s development department to aid in the successful redevelopment of a beloved yet aging public housing community in downtown Seattle. While the programs were primarily designed to benefit residents, their integration shines a light on the critical role creative and relational work can also play in promoting culture shift and progress towards racial justice within public housing agencies.”